Traitor by Emmy Chandler

Author:Emmy Chandler [Chandler, Emmy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Emerson Ink
Published: 2018-08-09T05:00:00+00:00

When we come out of the bathroom, Maci and Audra have joined Sylvie and Graham in the adjoining bedroom. “Hey, man, why don’t you come with me and let the ladies talk for a minute?” Graham suggests.

Barrett crosses his arms over his chest and grunts.

Graham looks at me. “That’s his ‘no’ grunt, isn’t it?”

I laugh. “See? He’s really not that hard to understand.” At least when he’s refusing to do something. Which is fairly often. I turn to Barrett and lay one hand on his chest. “I’ll be fine. And I’ll only be a minute. Right?” I ask the ladies over his shoulder.

“A few minutes, maybe,” Maci says. “I have your bag for you. There was no tech inside, other than the holo-disk, and it doesn’t transmit a signal. So you can have your things back.” She looks up at Barrett as she hands me the bag. “We just need to talk to Mallory alone, real quick.”

“I’m afraid that’s non-negotiable,” Audra adds.

“It’s okay,” I tell him again, when he refuses to follow Graham toward the hall. “I’ll be right there. Please,” I add. And finally Barrett allows himself to be led from the room.

Graham closes the door on his way out.

“Is something wrong?” I ask, wishing there were someplace to sit in this room. But there’s no furniture. Not even an empty bed frame.

“No! Not on our end, anyway,” Audra says.

My heart beats too hard. “What does that mean?”

“Let’s sit and have a little chat, okay?” Maci lowers herself onto the concrete floor, cross-legged. Audra and Sylvie glance at her in amusement, then we all settle onto the floor with her, in a circle.

“Am I in trouble?”

“It’s nothing like that,” Sylvie assures me.

“We just wanted a chance to talk to you privately,” Audra says. “About Barrett.”

“What about him?”

“There’s no subtle way to ask this, so…” Audra shrugs. “Are you with him voluntarily?”

“Yes. God yes. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Does he ask for anything from you in return for food or protection?”

“Never. In fact, he insists I don’t owe him anything.”

“Has he ever hurt you?” Maci asks.

I can’t figure out how to answer that. Audra, Sylvie, and Maci exchange a meaningful glance during my silence, and my heart sinks into my stomach.

Audra sighs. “Mallory, you don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to. But we started the Sorority as a sanctuary for women in zone three, for strength in numbers. Maci and I came here from zone four, where women are essentially sold to men in exchange for food and protection, and that’s not the way we run things here. That’s why we don’t let men live here unless they come in with a woman and are committed to upholding our rules and to protecting the group. So I want you to know that you’re welcome here. And that if Barrett is hurting you or using you in any way, Ty and the guys will put him down.”

“They will put that fucker in the ground,”

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